Vacuum cleaner reviews: FAQs
Is it true some vacuum cleaners can help allergy sufferers?
It's estimated about 40% of us suffer from allergies at some point in our lives. And one way of keeping dust-mite allergy at bay is to use your vacuum cleaner regularly.
But it's important to choose a vacuum cleaner that can retain the contents of its dust bag or canister. Some vacuum cleaners have poor construction or exhaust filtration, which allows tiny particles to escape back into the room and wreak havoc on allergy sufferers.
The Which? allergen retention tests show there can be significant differences, with the worst vacuum cleaners retaining less than 10% of the tiny allergen particles compared with the very best which retain more than 99% of them. Look carefully at these ratings if you suffer from allergies.
Vacuum cleaners that have Hepa (high-efficiency particulate air) or S-class filters, designed to retain the particles that cause allergy attacks, should also make a difference.
Is the vacuum cleaner's capacity important?
The average vacuum cleaner has a capacity of between two and three litres, but the recommended maximum fill level or the amount of dust the cleaner can actually hold before suction decreases may be far less.
As a general rule, if you have a large household that needs lots of cleaning, choose a vacuum cleaner with a high capacity – you'll have to buy fewer new bags and do less fiddling around.
But remember for many vacuum cleaners pick-up can diminish as the bag or canister fills up, so it's a good idea to change the bag before it's bursting at the seams. This can prove pricey with some models, though.
What kind of bags should I buy for my vacuum cleaner?
Vacuum cleaner manufacturers usually recommend buying replacement bags sold under their own brand name. But you can also buy bags – especially from online retailers – from third-party suppliers, such as Airflo, Unifit and Vivanco These companies make the 'official' bags for some vacuum cleaner manufacturers as well as providing their own-branded alternatives.
Generally, you're unlikely to see much difference. But the Which? tests show some alternative bags tended to let small particles of dust escape, which might mean you'd need to change the vacuum cleaner's filters more frequently.
Do vacuum cleaners that claim to be more energy efficient really use less energy?
Which? has tested a few vacuum cleaners claiming low energy use, and levels vary. Some recorded low levels in our test, others proved average. Vacuum cleaners are bought to clean floors and as yet we’ve not found a vacuum cleaner that balances excellent all-round cleaning with very low energy use.
Average energy consumption is around 260Wh to vacuum a 10m2 area of carpet at full suction – that’s about the same area as 33 kingsize beds. We've seen energy sapping models use in excess of 150Wh more energy than the less power hungry ones - the difference is enough energy to boil a litre of water in a kettle.
Are expensive vacuum cleaners the best?
Not necessarily. You can spend more than £200 and still end up with a fairly poor vacuum cleaner. There are bargain models particularly suited to either carpets or hard floors, so it’s well worth checking our test results and choosing a vacuum cleaner that best suits your needs.
If you only have hard floors at home, there’s no point shelling out for a vacuum cleaner that works well on all types of floor surface.
I’ve heard about robot vacuum cleaners, do they really exist?
Robots that vacuum while you take it easy have launched, and more are coming. Take a peek at this futuristic idea by watching our video about the iRobot Roomba 560.